Page 3. Second column. Third paragraph. That is where the first reference to the D-Day landings were first referenced in the Herald of June 10, 1944.

Members of the Farnham Urban Council were given a ‘cordial welcome’ and a councillor announced his resignation on health grounds. Only then was the ‘Second Front’ given a mention.

“Before the business was commenced, the chairman said he was sure they were all glad the Second Front had been opened and would wish success to our troops and hope that the conflict would soon be over,” recorded the Herald.

“He was sure that their thoughts went out to the boys who had landed across the water, and that the town would wish him to say they hoped they would soon be back.”

Then it was back to the business of the day; post-war housing, milk supply, allotments, water from public wells, and staffing at the British Restaurant among the topics up for discussion.

In the hot-metal printing days, the paper was crafted chronilogically, with classified adverts at the front and the week’s hot news often appearing further back.

It was thus that an editorial titled ‘Come at last’ on Page 5 sounded the true fanfare for what was known in official circles as Operation Overlord - printed in full to the left.

With the Second World War turning decisively in the Allies' favour after the breakthroughs in Italy, the landings in Normandy and Russian advances in the east, thoughts began to turn to the post-war period.

In Alton, the Rural District Council received glowing praise for its plans to put up as many as 178 cottage homes in their district after the war.

And in the Herald letters section, doctors and readers clashed over the merits of the proposed National Health Service.